Crispy brinjal rounds

Brinjal or aubergine, a vegetable that is available all year round, comes in different sizes, shapes and colors. This vegetable is found in most cuisines. This is a mild flavoured vegetable which takes on the flavours of the other ingredients in the dish. Here, I have a recipe for fried brinjal that has more shape and texture than usual.  Often, fried brinjal rounds are limp and get torn in parts, when they are done.  I like to add some rice powder to the marinade or coating, so that the fried rounds hold their shape and are crisp on the outside.

Serves 4
Preparation and cooking : 20 to 30 minutes
 Ingredients

1. Brinjal  - 1/4 kg
2. Salt to taste
3. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
4. Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon or according to taste
5. Rice powder (either fine or coarse) - 3 tablespoon
6. Oil - for deep frying

Method

1. Wash and cut each brinjal into 1/4 " thick rounds. Soak in water to prevent discolouration.

2. In a large, dry platter, mix together items 2, 3, 4 and 5 without any water. It should be totally dry.

3. Drain and wipe the brinjal rounds. Coat the brinjal rounds with the dry mix on both sides.

4. Let the brinjal rounds marinate for about 5 to 8 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, heat oil in a wok. When the oil is hot, place a few rounds in it. Deep fry just few pieces at a time. The oil should not be crowded.

6. Turn the pieces and cook till they are a golden brown and crispy.

7. Remove from oil and drain on kitchen paper.

8. Serve piping hot.

Tips

These fries retain crispiness for a short while only, so I like to make them very close to meal times.

Marination time should not exceed 10 minutes, as brinjal releases water and it is likely to become less crisp on frying.

If the slices are too large, they can be halved or even quartered before marination.

Goes very well with typical South Indian meal combinations.

I like to use "appam" rice powder or "puttu" rice powder if I run out of fine rice flour. "Appam" and "puttu" are made from coarse rice powder. Coarse rice powder gives a nice crunch to the brinjal rounds. Else any fine rice powder will do.

Simplest Tomato "Rasam"

Simplest tomato rasam

"Rasam" is usually made with the stock of split red gram or "toovar dal" and some tomatoes, tamarind water or lime juice and easily available herbs and condiments like coraiander seeds, its leaves and garlic. There are many more types of rasam which are made by different communities but here I have a simple recipe to make this fragrant soup-like thin sauce that is a staple of South Indian cuisine. I have not used any gram or lentils or any rasam powder as is done usually, nevertheless, this "rasam" is appetising and aromatic. The recipe was suggested to me by my South Indian help when I wanted some "rasam" done in a jiffy.

Serves 3 to 4 persons
Preparation and cooking time : 20 to 30 minutes

Ingredients

1. Tomatoes - 1 very large or 2 medium
2. Unpeeled garlic - 6 flakes
3. Green chillies - at least 2 (medium sized) or according to taste
4. Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1/2 tsp
5. Black pepper - 1/2tsp whole corns or 3/4 tsp coarse powder
6. Asafoetida (hing powder) - 1/4 tsp
7. Dried red chillies - 2 or 3 (each torn in two)
8. Tamarind (imli) - 1/2 lime sized ball (soaked in water to yield 2 1/2 cups of watery pulp)
9. Turmeric powder (haldi) - a small pinch
10. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
11. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
12. Fresh coriander leaves (dhania leaves) - 2 tblsp freshly chopped
13. Salt to taste
14. Vegetable oil - 2 tsp

Method

1. Take items 2, 3, 4 and 5. Pound very well in a mortar or give it a spin in a clean coffee grinder (without water). The mixture should be coarse.
2. Warm 1 tsp oil and fry this mix till it starts giving out a nice aroma. Do not cook further. Nothing should be browned.
3. Take the tomato/es and crush and squeeze well by hand or give it a short spin in a mixie (without water) to make a coarse, chunky mix. Transfer to a vessel. Add the fried spice mix to this crushed tomato.
4. Add items 8, 9, 12 and 13 to the tomato mix.
5. Heat 1 tsp oil and temper the mustard seeds, hing, red chillies and lastly the curry leaves. The curry leaves need to be very lightly fried only. Add to the tomato mix.
6. Give the whole thing only a light boil. When it begins frothing up, turn off the heat, immediately. This "rasam" loses flavour if boiled any further.
7. Serve hot with rice.
8. Or strain and serve warm as a soup.

Rasam starting to froth up (step 6)

Tips

If you want, a 1/2 cup of boiled "toovar" dal stock may be added to improve the flavour, at step 5, before you boil the "rasam".


It is better to make just enough "rasam" for one meal.


A 1/2 cup of chicken stock may be added at step 5 if using as a non-vegetarian soup.


I like to prepare the "rasam" till step 5 and store the mix in the fridge. Then, when its lunch time, I do step 6 after giving the whole thing a nice stir. Fresh "rasam" is ready without having a lot of cleaning up remaining at lunch time.

Steaming hot strained rasam

I serve "rasam" when anyone at home has a running nose or cold. My family likes having it during the rains and winter.